Slaying a Two-Star Monster Beast

Zhuge Xiang was fast—very fast, four times the speed of Ling Wufeng at his peak. The sudden appearance of that blood-colored blade light startled both Ling Wufeng and Ji Wuxue; they had only seen Hua Nongying and Lu Yuling charge out, never expecting anyone else to be there.

But despite the shock, recognizing the familiar blade light brought them great joy. They hadn't expected Zhuge Xiang to show up too. Everyone had clearly seen his performance in the Grand Tournament, but could he succeed again against a Two-Star Demonic Beast?

Compared to Zhuge Xiang's attack speed, the Demon Bear was far too slow. Coupled with the element of surprise—Zhuge Xiang's sudden ambush—the bear had no time to dodge. The Blood Refinement Saber slammed viciously into the bear's mouth, blood spraying everywhere.

Accompanying that was the Demon Bear's agonized roar. Zhuge Xiang's strike nearly severed its tongue. The searing pain only stoked the bear's ferocity, but fortunately, the moment the saber hit, everyone had already prepared to retreat.

Whoosh...

A bear paw, larger than a washbasin, swept past Zhuge Xiang's face. Though it didn't land, the fierce wind from the swing left his skin stinging.

He silently congratulated himself for anticipating the bear's enraged counterattack; otherwise, if that paw had come down, anyone would have been dead for sure.

Poison was a terrifying force. After retreating swiftly, knowing the Demon Bear was already poisoned, Zhuge Xiang and the others focused on dodging, doing their best to evade the enraged beast. The intense movement only accelerated the poison's spread, yet watching the poison take effect, they couldn't muster any joy.

The Poison Python, nearing One-Star High-Grade, had potent venom, but the Two-Star Demon Bear's body had been tempered by demonic energy, making it robust. The poison's onset only slightly slowed the bear's speed; its attack speed and power seemed to drop by about 30% based on observation.

Well, even with a 30% reduction in attack power, the Demon Bear's strikes could still one-shot anyone present. As for a 30% drop in movement and reaction speed? A Two-Star Demonic Beast standing still would shrug off their attacks anyway. The speed reduction was practically meaningless.

"Forget it, this bear's body is too tough. We should just run," Ji Wuxue said helplessly, seeing the poison's limited effect.

The poison's numbing effect had slowed the bear by 30%; escaping now should still be very possible.

"No. Once a bear drops to all fours, its straight-line sprint is very fast. It won't be easy to flee," Zhuge Xiang shook his head firmly, refusing to retreat.

Glancing subtly at Niu Geng, Lu Yuling knew who Zhuge Xiang was worried about. If anyone asked who ran the slowest, Niu Geng was the obvious answer.

Nodding, Lu Yuling agreed with Zhuge Xiang. "Right, I think we need to kill this bear. If we do, we can spread its droppings around our resting area. That should keep most One-Star Demonic Creatures away, letting us rest better at night."

"But how do we do it? A Two-Star Demonic Beast—how can we hurt it?" Ling Wufeng spoke up. Though he saw the logic in Lu Yuling's words, breaking through a Two-Star beast's defense was a huge problem.

"Attack the weak points," Zhuge Xiang said. "My strike just now proved it. The bear's physical defense is strong, but at certain weak spots—like the eyes or inside the mouth—our attacks can work. If we time it right, we can succeed."

"But since your attack worked, the bear has kept its mouth shut. Not a single roar. Attacking through the mouth isn't realistic. As for the eyes, the bear protects them too well. It's hard to land a hit," Hua Nongying frowned, her face troubled. Everyone looked stumped; a Two-Star Demonic Beast's physical defense was just too absurd.

"You all launch harassing attacks. Hua Nongying, ignore everything else—charge straight in and blind the bear quickly. Ling Wufeng, have your Flying Dagger ready. Once the bear's eyes are stabbed, it will surely roar. Shoot your dagger straight into its mouth. Whether it pierces the throat from inside is up to you," Zhuge Xiang assigned tasks, seeing their hesitation.

His words startled Hua Nongying. Blinding the bear wasn't the issue, but how easy was it to stab a Demon Bear's eyes? She feared she'd be crushed to a pulp by a bear paw before she could succeed.

Reading her worry, Zhuge Xiang said, "Don't worry. I'll block the bear's attack at the critical moment. You're the fastest among us. Only you can handle this. Trust me—I'll stop its strike."

Trust? Hua Nongying looked at Zhuge Xiang seriously and fell silent. The Asura Sect was a Demonic Sect. As a disciple, could she trust someone so completely, putting her life in their hands? Few would be willing. But Zhuge Xiang was right—with her Ghost Step at Mastery Level, she was the fastest. If he could really block the bear's attack, that split-second opportunity was hers alone.

This was a gamble, betting on whether Zhuge Xiang was trustworthy—betting with her life. Hua Nongying didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned to look at Lu Yuling. They were closer, and Lu Yuling had some history with Zhuge Xiang. Did she have any advice?

Understanding the questioning look, Lu Yuling knew exactly what she meant. After a brief hesitation, she gave Hua Nongying a slight nod, signaling that Zhuge Xiang could be trusted.

"Alright, let's do it your way," Hua Nongying nodded, agreeing. Then she turned to Ling Wufeng. "You be ready too. Don't lose your aim at the critical moment. We only get one chance."

"Don't worry. As long as the bear opens its mouth and can't see, I'll pierce its throat," Ling Wufeng replied, still wearing that cool expression. But his aloof demeanor failed to catch Hua Nongying or Lu Yuling's attention.

The plan was set. Zhuge Xiang, Lu Yuling, Ji Wuxue, and Lu Yuling's Mechanical Puppet all moved, charging at the Demon Bear. But they focused on dodging, only launching harassing attacks. Having taken a blade to the mouth when it roared, the bear had learned its lesson. Despite its fury, it kept its jaws clamped shut.

Swish...

Hua Nongying struck. Using Ghost Step, she appeared before the bear like a phantom, her short blade flickering into two flower-like patterns, venomous as a snake's tongue, radiating danger as it aimed for the bear's eyes.

The bear's pupils contracted sharply, sensing the threat from Hua Nongying. Ignoring Zhuge Xiang and the others' harassment, it swung a paw with a sharp whistle, slamming toward her. Even if she could blind the bear, she'd be crushed to paste.

Despite the terrifying attack, Hua Nongying paid it no mind, charging with a suicidal determination, as if she'd blind the bear even at the cost of her life.

Since she'd agreed to Zhuge Xiang, she wouldn't doubt him. That was Hua Nongying's nature—much like Zhuge Xiang's: straightforward. If she was dissatisfied, she showed it; if she doubted, she doubted; if she trusted, she trusted.

Zhuge Xiang appreciated that trait. At least, once she agreed, she wouldn't falter—far better than those who promised but failed at the critical moment.

Everyone tensed up, hearts in their throats, worried for Hua Nongying. Zhuge Xiang had promised to block the bear's attack. How? This was a Two-Star Demonic Beast, equivalent to a Body Tempering Realm cultivator—a qualitative leap from the Qi Cultivation Realm. Its attack would one-shot anyone. How could he stop it?

Since Hua Nongying had agreed, she could be trusted. The same went for Zhuge Xiang—if he promised, he'd deliver.

In that split second, Zhuge Xiang used Explosive Steps, appearing before the bear like teleportation. He raised his left arm, and the Blade of Blockade materialized.

The Blade of Blockade had very low attack power, a poor match for its Three-Star Artifact grade. But it could block any attack from a Refining Essence to Qi Stage cultivator once per day. Even a peak Six-Star Demonic Beast's strike—Zhuge Xiang could stop it.

The ferocious attack was halted by Zhuge Xiang's Blade of Blockade. The puny human blocking its blow stunned the Demon Bear for a moment. But then Hua Nongying's attack landed, her short blade plunging into the bear's eye...

A piercing, agonized roar erupted. Zhuge Xiang and Hua Nongying retreated instantly. At the same time, a flash of brilliant blade light streaked by, and the earth-shattering scream cut off abruptly...

Through the bear's gaping mouth, a Flying Dagger was visible lodged deep in its throat. Though a Two-Star Demonic Beast's body was tough, it hadn't tempered its eyes or inner throat to such hardness.

"Ding, killed a Two-Star Low-Grade Demon Bear beyond your level. Gained 880 experience. Obtained Hundred Refinements Bow."

"Tsk, no wonder it's a Two-Star beast—880 experience points," Zhuge Xiang gasped at the system notification.

But thinking about it, it made sense. He was only at the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer, while the bear was equivalent to a Body Tempering Realm cultivator. Even with teammates reducing the experience, the level gap was huge. 880 points was reasonable. And with such a gap, dropping equipment seemed fair too.